Month: June 2018

Chloe Kay is a young songstress with a steady voice that will instantly envelope you in its richness. Currently based out of Atlanta, GA, Chloe released her debut record, That Time, just this year. The album holds 12 heartfelt tracks that capture a very specific time in her life. Check out my favorite track from the record and read more below:

MFL: When and how did music become part of your life?

Chloe Kay (CK): Music has been a part of my life as long as I can remember, honestly, but the relationship I have with it now was a gradual development. I was one of those kids who was just always singing, always wanted to sing, always raised my hand for the solos in music class. Then when I got to middle school I started to discover that music could really speak to how I felt, and that was also when mp3’s were new and exciting so there was a lot of music available in a way it hadn’t been before. There was a lot of discovery in those years. Then by high school I was writing my own songs with my friends, but college was when music and writing songs really became a huge part of my every day life and self expression.

MFL: Who were your musical influences growing up?

CK: There was a lot of doo-wop and music from the 50’s and 60’s played in the car on the way to school that had a big influence on me. There are a handful of specific songs that I heard over and over, one of them I do a short a capella cover of the first track on my album, “Duke of Earl” by Gene Chandler. I was also always drawn to any female voice I heard that had that rich full tone of another time. I discovered Ella Fitzgerald from her rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” on a Christmas album we had, and I was really mesmerized by her vocal quality. She, and a few others like her, became voices I would seek out throughout my childhood and into high school.

MFL: It looks like your record, That Time, was released this year. Tell me about the writing process and what is behind this record.

CK: The record is named really for the time that I wrote it in. What I mean is, I wrote almost all of the songs on the record in the space of about two years that were really pivotal to my growth as a person so far. It was my last year in college, going on to starting my life on my own for the first time, and in that time I faced some heavy challenges in my home life that I speak to at points on the record as well as experienced heartbreak for the first time. So there were new spaces within myself emotionally that I was discovering and figuring out how to put into words. Songwriting, and really writing in general are healing tools for me. So I wrote a lot of the songs as a part of that process.

MFL: What are you doing now to share this record with the music-sphere and how has it been received?

CK: My main goal is to play as many shows as I can moving forward. Of course it’s great to be able to share everything on social media and through technology but I’m still a believer that the best thing I can do to get people to appreciate my music is to just get into a room and sing the songs to people live. We played a show to celebrate the record drop in Atlanta that was a fantastic night, and the record seems to be well received thus far, but there is a lot left to do.

MFL: Who are your current musical influences? Current as in who is influencing you in this moment. They can be artists of the past or present!

CK: Ella, always, Julie London, Sarah Vaughan. Also Patsy Cline is a big one, as is Brenda Lee and Johnny Cash. There are definitely some present artists that influence me as well: Angel Olsen, Daughter, K. Flay, SZA, Arctic Monkeys to name a few. I listen to a lot of new music with so much out there to discover, to be fair there are a lot of artists coming into my world and giving me inspiration.

MFL: What are you doing when you are not writing/recording music?

CK: I’m usually probably reading iction, non-fiction, or poetry, or at rehearsal (I’m an actor as well). On my days off you can find me at a coffee shop.

MFL: Where are you based out of now and what is the musical environment like there? How do your musical surroundings shape your music?

CK: These days I’m based out of Atlanta, GA and it’s a wonderful city to be in as an artist. There is a lot of really authentic character and appreciation for art in all forms throughout the city. The music scene is really cool and I’m excited to delve further into it, there are different pockets of the city that offer different genres/types of shows/etc. Being in a creatively charged city is definitely gift when it comes to creating and writing.

MFL: What does 2018 hold for you as a musician?

CK: Hopefully a lot more shows and as always, more creating.

Big thanks to Chloe for taking the time to answer my questions and to Viktor Ahlgren of Lacei for introducing us! You can follow Chloe on Facebook.

C.O.W. 牛 always brings something a bit unexpected to the table, whether it’s sonic or visual. The German-Chinese electronic duo has an incredible way of merging beats with bizarrely rich visuals of gaudy indulgences. Characters in their videos are often decked out with over-the-top jewelry, moving in slow motion to whatever juicy track C.O.W. 牛 created. The most recent release, “Glitch”, was a major collaboration with both acclaimed electronic musician, Alxndr London, and dancer, Amie Georgsson Jammeh. Alxndr London just released his latest EP, 2023, and it’s already receiving a lot of attention. Clash says 2023 “merges murky electronics with future soul to create something incredible, and truly other-worldly.”

In my opinion (may be biased as I am a dancer myself), Swedish/German dancer, Amie, makes the video. Her movements are not inspired by the music, they make the music. Each jolt, pop and glitch comes from her body. Her freedom of movement mixes flawlessly with the wild beats; smooth and melancholic, sharp and natural. Amie had this to say about what dance means to her:

“Dance is something so essential to all living creatures, and I never really thought about why I do it. It just happens. Because why not. Why not express yourself through dance and movements. It’s just another language really. Another voice. And it opens up so many possibilities. Possibilities to express, explore and discover new things. It’s a great way to test the limits in all aspects of life.”

Danish four-piece, Iceage, is scheduled to play at The Rialto here in Bozeman this June 15th as part of their tour for their latest record, Beyondless, out now on Matador Records. The band’s sound has morphed since the release of their first record, New Brigade, in 2011. With this evolution, came a raw sense of maturity and ownership of what their music is, ultimately allowing them freedom to write and create. Regardless of whether you’ve heard Iceage’s music before, you can witness them for yourself. The Rialto promises perfect sound, an ideal setting and an intimate environment to experience Iceage up close.

The band is composed of Elias Bender Rønnenfelt (vocals, lyrics), Jakob Tvilling Pless (bass), Dan Kjær Nielsen (drums), and Johan Wieth (guitar). Together, they write music that is chaotic, brilliant and full of witty jargon that only the most well-read may appreciate. Check out their single, “Catch It”:

You can listen to their new record, Beyondless, on all major streaming platforms and can score yourself a copy at the show this Friday!